Thomas mcilroy



NFETERS, PHOTO-LITHOGRAPHER WASHINGTON D C ttttrlf tant gateat @Hite TH CMAS MCILROY, OF NEV YORK, N. Y.

Letters Patent No. 71,196, dated November, 19, 1867.

IlJIPROVED .INVALID AND PRAGTURE-BEDSTEAD.

TO ALL WHOM IT MAY CONOERN:

Be it known that I, THOMAS MelhRoY, of the city and county of New York, in the State of New York, have invented a new and useful Invalid and FracturefBedstead; and Ido hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the-same, reference being had to 'the accompanying drawings, which are made a part of this specification. l

The subject of this invention is a. bedstead, designed, in general terms, to increase the comfort of the invalid, and enable the more effective treatment of fractures of the leg,

My invention consists, first, inl means for .elevating the patient from the bed or mattress, and sustaining him at any desired height above the same, in order to cool the bedding, facilitate discharges, or place the patient iu a more convenient'position for manipulation,

My invention consists also of a sectional bed-bottom, in connection withpeeuliar adjusting devices, whereby the leg may be supported in such position as may be most favorablevto the particular kind of fracture under treatment.

My invention consists, further, in the employment o1 certain appliances which a'ord the conveniences of an arm-chair, with a table'for eating, reading, or other purposes, said table serving as a foot-rest, when not otherwise employed.

My invention further consists ofv an improved appliance for the extension of fractured limbs.

Figure 1' is a vertical longitudinal section of a bedstead illustrating my invention.

Figure 2 is a' vertical transverse section ofthe same, the line a' er, fig. 1, indicating the plane of section.

Figure 3 is a side elevation of the same.

Figure 4 is a top view of'a portion lof the bed.

v Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several figures.

In the drawings, A may representa bedstead or frame of'any desired construction, and B the posts thereof, the latter rising to a suiicient height above the fra-me to enable the patient to be raised and lowered by means of the shafts C C', as represented in fig. The shafts C C are journalled in the upper parts of the posts 13,. and said shafts may be formed with hollow sockets c at their ends, in order that they may he rotated by means of a crank-shaped handle, having a square head fitting into said sockets. Any othermeans may be employed for rotating the shafts C C; for example, cog-wheels or worms turned by hand and engaging with worm-wheels or cog-wheels on the shafts. D D D D/ are straps or cords, whose upper ends are fastened to the shafts C C7 and whose lower ends are attached to rods E E. Therods E E are situated at each side of the bed, and the sheet F, or a piece of canvas under thc patient, may be sewed, strapped, 'or otherwise attached to the said rods, so that when the shafts C C are rotated, as above described, the patient may be elevated, as shown in hg. 3.

'Bhe patient, when elevated, is sustained by the engagement of pawls or ratehets CZ with the ratchet-wheels d',

the backward motion of the shafts C C being thereby prevented.

This contrivance enables the paticntto be easily raised without subjecting him 'to the pain and discomfort which cannot be avoided in making up and airing beds which are not provided with my improved elevator. The sheet F'may have an opening, as at F', hg. 4, through which excrement, 32e., may be discharged into a reeeptacle when the patient is' elevated. Of course both the shafts-C C may be rotated at the same time, but one person, turning one shaft at a time, can raise and lower the patient with facility. The rods E E are held asunder and steadied by the 'transverserigid bars E E, which are fitted upon their ends, as shown in vfigs. 3 and 4, and these bars scrve to prevent the undue sagging of the sheet F. Spaces are left between the headboard and head-posts of the-.bedsteach to permit the unobstructed vertical movement ofthe bars E E.

The bed-bottom is divided-transversely into four parts or sections Gr GWG? G3, of which the section G supports the head and back o f the patient, while the remaining sections support the legs. The sections Gr and GrZ I are hinged to the stationary section G1, and the section G'rsvis hinged to thesection G, as represented in iig. 1, H H are segmental racks secured to the under side of the respective sections G G2, and 'engaging with cogwheels I Il on the shafts I2 I, which are jonrnalled in the sides of the bedstead-frame A, and which are held against backward motion by the pawls a" engaging with the cogs III. The outer ends ofthe shafts are provided I with sockets z', (see iig. 3,) to enable saidshafts to be rotated by means of the squareheaded key or crank-handle which is used torotate the elevating-shafts C C'. By means of the parts I I1 I2 I3 H H', the sections G and G2 may he raised so as to stand at any desired angle to the bedstead-frame A, and thus they may be made to assume such relative positions as are best adapted for the support of variously fractured limbs, or for the comfort or favorable treatment of other invalids. The section Gr3 may, by means of the notched pendentbars J' .I and rod J', be hold so as to form an incline to support an elevated limb in a straight position from the isehium to the foot, when desired; but when a fracture of the femur, or a spinal or rheumatic or other aifection may require the elevation of the kneeand the depression ofthe foot, a double incline `for the support ofthe segments ofthe deiiected limb may be afforded by adjusting the section Grs as indicated by red lines in iig. 1.

K K are. arms, hinged or pivoted to the opposite-sides of the section G, and adapted to be supported in an elevated and nearly horizontal position, (as shown in fig. 1,) by means of the arms K,' wh ich are pivotcd or hinged to the sectionGg. These arms, when raised, as shown in iig. 1, impart to the couch the appearance of an arm-chair, and add to the comfort of the patient when in a reclining or sitting posture. The inner ends ofthe arms K K are provided with a mortise and tenen respectively, which allow them to be united or separated at will.

The detachable foot-board, shown in blue lines, fig. 1, is provided with legs L1, and braces L2, the former,

L1, being capable of attachment to the sections G3 by screws or otherwise, so that said foot-board may be supported horizontally upon the sections G2 G3, asshown in full lines at L, fig. 1. In this latter position it serves as a table upon which the food, writing materials, or reading matter may be placed for the patient.

My appliance for the extension of the limbs is shown in figs. 1 and 2. It may consist of a Standard or upright, M, from which thre'e arms m m m rise to an equal height. Upon the upper termini of the arms m are mounted rollers n n u, as shown in iig. 2.' The standard M is to be attached to the rear end of the section G3, bya screw-clamp which admits of raising and lowering the standard, andv holding it in any desired position. When this'appliance is brought into requisition, the foot of the limb to be extended is secured to the board N by means of adhesive plaster. The said boa-rd N has an aperture at its mid-length, and an aperture near each end for the attachment, respectively, of the cords m1 ml ml, as shown in iig. 2. 4 The cords ml are passed thence over the'rollers n, and their depending extremities are weighted as at m2, in order to apply the requisite tension tothe limb. By the use of the three points of attachment, the foot or limb is prevented from turning, and maintained in the proper upright position. The-ordinary appliances of this kind have but a single weighted cord, which does not prevent the foot from turning. I

The above-described extension appliance is not exclusively applicable to the bedstead herein described, as

lit may be used with equally beneficial results in connection lwith other bcdsteads.

By lowering the section Gr to the horizontal position shown in fig. 3, and leaving the sections G2 G3 in the inclined position shown 'in fig. 1, the patient is placed in an inclined position, with his feet elevated. The weight of his body will then resist the strain of the extension-cords, and by this means the practitioner is enabled to dispense with the painful and injrious appliances usually depended on for counter-extension.

Having thus described my invention, the following is whatI claim as new herein, and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. I claim the rods E E, cords or other connections D D', and shafts C C', when employed cenjunctively `as a means for elevating the patient above the bed, in the manner and for the purpose set forth.

2. I claim the sectional bed-bottom Gr-G Gr2 G3, in combination with t'he segments H H', cog-wl1eels I I', shafts I2 I3, pawls z", notched bars J' J, and rod J', all arranged and employed in the manner and for the purpose set forth. y v

3. I4 claimthe device M 'm m m, or any substantial equivalen-t thereof, to enable the employment of three (or a plurality)`of cxtension-weights,'as and for the object set forth. l

4. I claim'the foot-rest L, provided with legs and braces L1 Lz,and adapted to be used as a table, as explained.

6. I claim the arms K K', arranged so as to be detached from and united to each other by mortise and tenen, and employed substantially as andrfor the purpose explained.

THOS. McILROY.

Witnesses:

Guns. D. SMITH, J. E. M. BOWEN. 

